Kelly Khumalo's sister speaks about what happened the day Senzo Meyiwa died

14 February 2018 - 19:55 By Penwell Dlamini
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Singer Kelly Khumalo
Singer Kelly Khumalo
Image: Via Instagram

Kelly Khumalo’s sister‚ Zandi‚ who was present when the late Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was killed‚ has described the happiness and joy around the dinner table just minutes before men stormed into the Vosloorus‚ Ekurhuleni‚ home.

Speaking on Ukhozi FM on Wednesday afternoon‚ Zandi said that since Senzo’s death‚ she and her family had been in constant contact with the police and had given them every little detail of that fateful day.

“Even on Saturday‚ I was at the police station. I arrived at 3pm [and stayed] until 12 at night. We were giving all the information we have to the police. We are trying our best to help as much as we can so that they can get the people who did this‚” she said.

Meyiwa was shot dead while visiting his girlfriend‚ Kelly Khumalo‚ at her mother's house in Vosloorus in October 2014.

Zandi explained what happened on that day during the radio insert.

“It was a Sunday. We were coming from a show which was at Dorothy Nyembe [park]. We were happy‚ and we went and fetched Senzo’s friend‚ whose name is Tumelo‚ in Spruitview. We arrived at home‚ sat down and ate. It was a very happy day. My mother had prepared Sunday dinner for us.

“Late in the afternoon‚ Longwe [Twala] called saying he is coming [to the house]. I said he should come because my mother had cooked. When he arrived‚ I went to fetch him outside. Then all of us began to eat.

“While we were eating‚ people stormed into the house. They immediately demanded cellphones and money. When they said this‚ I took my phone and hid it under the pillow on the sofa. Longwe then stood up pushed one of the men and forced his way out‚” Khumalo said.

Khumalo said Kelly then ran to her bedroom‚ which faces the kitchen.

“When we saw that Longwe had ran‚ we jumped and tried to grab one of the men who was trying to force himself into my bedroom‚ which Kelly had ran into.

“We were able to push him towards the door. It was a huge scuffle. All of a sudden there were gun shots. When I heard the gun‚ I ran and hid myself in the bathroom. I did not run alone but with Tumelo because he was next to me‚” said Khumalo.

“I then heard two gun shots while I was in the bathroom. I looked‚ hiding behind the bathroom door‚ to see what was happening. I then saw Senzo running to hide himself. I asked myself‚ ‘Why is he running?’

“Then my mother and Kelly also ran towards Senzo. Kelly began to cry out‚ ‘Please help my husband’‚” she said.

Still in the bathroom‚ Zandi saw Meyiwa lying on his back‚ looking up.

Then one of the men came to take the phone‚ which was being charged on the sofa‚ next to where Senzo had fallen.

“My mother tried to hide the phone but this boy came and hit my mother with his elbow in the stomach‚ and she dropped the phone.

“All of this I was looking at while being in the bathroom. Kelly continued to scream. As she continued to scream‚ I realised that these boys were gone. I then rushed out and went to take my phone and tried to call. I did not know which number to dial because I was in panic. I then went outside and called neighbours‚” Zandi said.

She then went to call neighbours and one of her mother’s friends‚ who lives in the house opposite hers.

When she came back‚ she saw that Senzo was being taken to his BMW SUV. She said she asked why an ambulance wasn’t called‚ but was told it would take a long time.

“We then got into the car. I then continued to apply pressure on the chest wound where Senzo was hit. As we drove along the way‚ I could see that Senzo wanted to close his eyes… I then felt that his stomach was becoming cold. We arrived at the hospital and went to the emergency ward. Medical staff began examining him and later my mother arrived. She rushed to where medical staff was helping Senzo‚ the next thing I heard was her voice screaming‚” Zandi said.

When asked where Twala was during the ordeal‚ Zandi replied: “Longwe simply rushed outside‚ and I don’t know where he went. I only saw him when he arrived with my mother in hospital.”

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